Drilling rig



April 21, 1953 s, D. GUNNING 2,535,855

DRILLING RIG Filed April 28, 1949 4 Sheets-Sheet l INVENTOR. SAMUEL D.GUNNING AT TORNEY April 1953 s. D. GUNNING 2,635,855

DRILLING RIG Filed April 28, 1949 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 FIG.2

INVENTOR.

SAMUEL D- GUNNING ATTORNEY April 21, 1953 s. D. GUNNING 2,635,355

DRILLING RIG Filed April 28, 1949 4 Sheegs-Sheet 3 JNVENTOR. SAMUEL D.GUNNING ATTORNEY Patented Apr. 21, 1953 DRILLING RIG Samuel D. Gunning,Cleveland Heights, Ohio, as-

signor to Le Roi Company, Milwaukee, Wis, a corporation of WisconsinApplication April 28, 1949, Serial No. 90,191

This invention relates broadly to rock drilling apparatus, but moreparticularly to supporting rigs for fluid actuated drills.

In quarrying a certain type of rock, it has been customary to drill aline of vertical holes, leaving a narrow wall of rock or materialbetween adjacent holes, which wall is subsequently cut away with aspecially designed tool known as a broach. After removal of the rock inits original block shape, the faces of the block thus drilled andbroached are dressed down to a smooth finish. Inorder to facilitate thisdressing operation and eliminate excessive removal of material, it isvery important that all holes be drilled vertical or at least exactlyparallel to each other and in perfect Another, object of this inventionis to provide such a rig with a drill centralizer located in closeproximity to the face of the rock being drilled and enabling all drillsto start the drilled holes at the exact desired location, that is, inperfect alignment.

Another object of this invention is to produce a portable drilling rigof the type above referred to, which can be moved from place to place byone man and which is so constructed as to enable all of the drillscarried thereby to be operated by one man. c

Other objects and advantages more or less ancillary to the foregoingreside in the specific construction and aggroupment of the elementspeculiar to this structure, as will become apparent from a more completeexamination of this specification.

In the drawings which illustrate a preferred embodiment of theinvention: Figure l is a perspective view of the drilling rig assembly.In this figure, only one rock drill with its lubricator and connectionis shown.

Figure 2 is a top plan view of the rig assembly shown in Figure 1. Inthis figure, the rig is shown carrying six rock drills, each shown withtheir own lubricator and connection.

Figure 3 is a top plan view of the drill steel centralizer shown inFigure l.

Figure 4 is a side elevational view of the drill steel-centralizer shownin Figure 3. 1

8 Claims. (01. 25551) Figure 5 is an enlarged sectional view takenthrough line 5-5 in Figure 3.

' Figure 6 is an enlarged longitudinal sectional viewof the feedmechanism Figure 7. is an enlarged cross-sectional view taken on line1-! in Figure 1.

Figure 8 is an enlarged cross-sectional view taken on line 88 in Figure3.

Referring to the drawings, in which like symbols designate correspondingparts throughout the several views, the drilling rig assembly comprisesa substantially horizontal base frame A, a reinforcing frame B, avertically substantially U- shaped frame C, a drill carrying or slidingframe D and a centralizer E. The base frame A is formed of two channelshaped side members It! and It united by cross members l2 and [3. Inpractice, this base frame is preferably the frame of a' motor drivenvehicle such as a tractor I 4 shown in dotted lines in Figure 1.Extending laterally from the base frame A, there are two parallel arms[5, which are rigidly secured to the base frame and carried thereby. Inpractice, the outer ends of the arms l5 extend laterally beyond thewheels-of the tractor l4, and are provided with adequate clamps. I6through which is secured to the arms [5, and consequently to the baseframe A,the vertical frame C'. This last frame includes two parallelvertical side members or uprights l1, preferably made of tubing, securedtogether by a cross member l8 preferably welded to the upper endsthereof as at IS. The lower ends of the side members ll are rigidlysecured to the arms [5 through the clamps I6.

Assisting in thecsupport of the vertical frame C, there is the braceframe B, which consists of a vertical member 20 having its lower endrigidly securedto' the base frame A at a place laterally spaced from theclamps [6 of the arms I5. In practice, this brace or vertical member 210is preferably located on the side of the tractor I4 opposite the sidefrom which extend the arms l5. Welded tothe upper end of the member 20,as at 2 l there is a horizontal member 22 terminated by a clamp 23through which it is rigidly secured to the crossmember l8 of thevertical frame C. Welded to the members 20 and 22 and extendingdiagonally therebetween, there is a reinforcing brace 24.

The sliding frame D is substantially H -shaped and includes two parallelsliding bearings 25 united together by a .crossmember 26 which ispreferably welded thereto as at 21. The sliding bearings 25 aresleeve-like and made to slide on the sidemembers ll of the verticalframe C.

Through these hearings, it will be understood that the drill carryingframe D is capable of sliding up and down on the vertical frame C. Thissliding movement of the frame D is effected through a fluid actuatedfeeding mechanism generally designated by F, which includes a cylinder28 having its upper end closed by a cap 29. This cap forms a part of aclamp generally designated by 30 through which the upper end of thecylinder 28 is rigidly secured to the cross member l8 of the verticalframe C. The lower end of the cylinder 2% is normally closed by a plate3| secured in position by bolts 32. In the cylinder is reciprocablymounted a piston 33 having a rod 34 secured thereto for movementtherewith and extending therefrom through the plate 3|. The free end ofthe piston rod 34 is reduced in diameter as at 35 to fit closely into asleeve-like connector 36 where it is rigidly clamped in position by anut 37. The connector 33 is made an integral part of the cross member26v of frame, D, and is located about. half way between the slidingbearings 25. The cap 29 of the cylinder 28 is drilled and threaded as at38. to receive one end of a motive fluid conveying conduit. 39, throughwhich motive fluid may be admitted into the upper end of the cylinder 28via ports 40 and 41. The lower plate 31 is provided with a port, 42which is also threaded to receive one end of a motive fluid conveyingconduit 43, through which motive fluid may be admitted into the lowerend of the cylinder 28..

On the cross member 26 of the drill carrying frame D, there are weldeda; plurality of brackets 44. Preferably six of these brackets areprovided and are equally spaced as clearly shown in, Figure 1. They havedepending parallel lugs 45 which are drilled to receive a bolt 46through which the back head 4'! of a rock drill 48 is rigidly secured tothe frame cross member 26. In practice, the rock drills 48 arepreferably of middle size and capacity, and of the compressed airactuated type, which compressed air is admitted from any availablesource of supply through a relatively large conduit 49 into acylindricalreservoir 50, which. reservoir is supported by brackets 5| carried bythe base frame A. Admission of compressed air into the reservoir 50 iscontrollable through a throttle valve 52 mounted at the inner endof thereservoir. Intermediate its ends, the reservoir 53 is providedwith sixconnections 53, each adapted to receive one end of a lubricator 54,while the other end is connected to a flexible conduit 55 through whichcompressed air and lubricant is supplied to each rock drill 48. InFigure 2, the conduits 55 are shown with a portion broken away to betterillustrate the lubricator '54, and. between the reservoir 50 and theframe D, they are preferably held together by a clamp 56. In addition tobeing carried by the reservoir 50, the lubricators are also supported.by a channel shaped member 51 which rests on the brackets SI. On one endof this member is. secured a two way throttle valve 58 having compressedair admitted thereto from any available source through. a conduit 59.Leading from the throttle valve 58, thereis the conduit 33 which opensinto the upper end: of the feed cylinder 23 and the conduit 43 whichopens: into the lower end of the cylinder.

The drill steel centralizer, generally designated by E, includes achannel shaped member 60 having welded to each end portion a shortchannel shaped piece 6!, which forms end portions of substantiallyrectangular cross section. Each end portion is provided with a bore 62extending vertically through the side walls of the channel member andpiece 60 and 6| and adapted to receive the extreme lower ends of theside members ll, which lower ends protrude below the clamps 16 of thearms Hi. This channel shaped member 60, hereinafter referred to as thecentralizer base, is rigidly secured to the side members I! by throughbolts 63. Adjacent its ends, the-base 60 is provided with pivot blocks64 welded inside of the channel shaped base 60 and protruding laterallyfrom the bottom or Vertical wall thereof. Each block 64 has an aperture65 extending vertically therethrough and adapted to receive a pivot pin65. The movable portion or gate of the centralizer is also formed of achannel-shaped member 61 which has its bottom or vertical wall, near theends thereof, cut away to cause the side walls thereof to formlongitudinally extending lugs 68 which are bored to receive the pivotpin 66 and throughwhich the gate is normally held in operative position.To aiford better bearing between the lugs 68 and pivotpin 66, there isWelded on. each lug a rela tively thick washer 69. In operativeposition, the two channel members 36 and El are mounted in opposition toeach other and. have their side walls, that is the upper and lower Wallsof the centralizer, provided with a plurality of holes 10 extendingvertically therethrough. The holes 10, six of which are used in the.construction shown, are disposed in exact alignment with their centerslocated between the two channel. shaped members. 60 and 61, so that eachmember is actually formed with. only half holes, all of which are of adiameter materially larger than. that of the drill steels which areintended to extend therethrough as hereinafter explained. Secured on theside, walls of the member 60 by through bolts H, there are strips ofharder steel. 12 which extend substantially the full length of themembers. Similar strips 13. are fastened on the side walls of the member6! by through bolts 14'. These strips are also provided with half holesT5 disposed; in. axial alignment with the hole 10, and are of a diametermaterially smaller than that of the holes Ill. With. the centralizergate 61 closed, that is, positioned as shown in Figure 3, the half holesof the juxtaposed strips 12 and 13 form cylindrical guiding bearings forthe drill steels 16 depending fromthe rock drills48. Since both. theupper and lower walls of the centralizer E have the strips l2- and. 13secured thereto, it will be understood that the centralizer actuallyprovides for two longitudinally spaced guiding bearings for each drillsteel, thereby precluding the possibility of any hole being drilled out;of position or alignment. The centralizer gate 6,! can be opened at willsimply by removing. one

of the pivot pins 66 and swinging. the gate on V the other pivot pin.. v

In the operation of the apparatus; the entire rig carried: by: a vehiclesuchas. tractor I4 is moved to the desired. location. If a relativelylong line. of holes has to be drilled, it will g-be advantageous tomount six rock drills on the-drill carrying. frameD, which drills areactually suspended. to the crossmember-26 of the frame D through theconnections 'clearly shown in Figure 7. After the rock drills arethus-secured to the carrying frame and. connected to the lubricators 5'4throughthe fluid conveying conduits 55,, the drill steels 16 may beinserted into, the front end ofzthe rock drill in the; usualqmanner. Tothat end, the drill carrying frame D; through the feeding mechanism F,is first raised to its maximum height on the vertical frame C, and thegate 61 of the drill steel centralizer E swun open to permit insertionof the drill steels into the front ends of the rock drills. Beforeclosing the centralizer gate, the drill steels 16 are located in theguide bearings 15, which are coaxially disposed relative to the rockdrills 48. Thereafter the throttle valve 52 may be partly opened toadmit a small amount of compressed air into the reservoir 50, andtherefrom to the rock drills 48 through the lubricators 54 and conduits55, thereby causing all rock drills to operate simultaneously at reducedspeed. Concurrently, the throttle valve 58 may also be operated to admitthe desired amount of compressed air in the upper end of the feedcylinder 28 through the conduit 39 and ports 40--4l In this instance,the compressed air acting on the piston 33 will move it forward, causingthe piston rod 34 secured to the member 26 of the drill carrying frame Dto feed the frame, and consequently the rock drills carried thereby,toward the work. As the drill steels contact the face of the rock andstart the drilling of the holes, they are prevented from moving awayfrom the desired location by the longitudinally spaced guide bearings 15of the centralizer E. After the holes are well started, the throttlevalve 52 may be fully opened to operate the rock drills 48 at fullspeed. During the drilling operation, the operator, through the throttlevalve 58, will regulate the rate of speed at which the drills are fed tothe work.

When the drilling operation is terminated or when it is desired toremove the drill steels from the drilled holes, the operator through thethrottle valve 58 will admit motive fluid into the front end of thecylinder 28 through the conduit 43 and port 42, causing the piston 33 tomove upwardly and the piston rod 34 to pull or raise the frame D androck drills 48 relative to the vertical frame 0. During this upwardmovement of the piston 33, compressed air previously admitted into theupper end of the cylinder 28 is free to exhaust therefrom through portsll-40, conduit 39 and throttle valve 58.

From the foregoing description, it will be understood that the entiredrill rig is movable from place to place, and if desired, after the sixholes have been drilled, the rig can be moved to a new position to drillthe next set of six holes, which holes may then be drilled in perfectalignment.

I claim:

1. A drilling rig comprising a base frame, a vertical frame carried bysaid base frame, said vertical frame including a pair of parallel guidemembers extending upwardly from said base frame and united at theirupper ends by a cross member, a substantially H -shaped drill carryingframe including side members slidable on said guide members and rigidlyunited by a cross member, a plurality of rock drills carried by saidlast cross member for up and down movement with said drill carryingframe relative to said vertical frame, and a single fluid actuatedfeeding mechanism interposed between and secured to said cross membersat substantially equal distances from said parallel guide members foreffecting the up and down movement of said drill carrying frame.

2. A drilling rig comprising a base frame, a vertical frame carried bysaid base frame, said vertical frame including a pair of parallel guidemembers extending upwardly from said base frame and united at theirupper ends by a cross member, a substantially H-sha-ped drill carryingframe including side members slidable on said guide members and rigidlyunited by a cross member, a plurality of rock drills carried by saidlast cross member for up and down movement with said drill carryingframe relative to said vertical frame, and a single fluid actuatedfeeding mechanism for effecting the up and down movement of said drillcarrying frame including a cylinder having one end attached to one ofsaid cross members, and a piston reciprocable within said cylinderhaving a rod extending through the other end of said cylinder andsecured to the other of said cross members, said cylinder and pistonbeing at substantially equal distances from said parallel guide members.

3. A drilling rig comprising a base frame, a vertical frame carried bysaid base frame, a drill carrying frame slidable on said vertical frame,a plurality of rock drills carried by said drill carrying frame formovement therewith, a drill steel carried by each rock drill, and adrill steel centralizer includinga centralizer base rigidly secured tothe lower end of said vertical frame below said rock drills, acentralizer gate removably carried by said base, upper and lowerparallel walls on said base and gate, a strip of hardened steel fixed oneach of said walls, and means including apertures through said stripsforming longitudinally spaced guiding bearings for each drill steel. l

4. A drilling rig comprising a base frame, a vertical frame carried bysaid base frame, a drill carrying frame slidable on said vertical frame,a plurality of rock drills carried by said drill carrying frame formovement therewith, a drill steel carried by each rock drill and a drillsteel centralizer including a cen-tralizer base rigidly secured to saidvertical frame below said rock drills, a centralizergate removablycarried by said base, said base and gate being of channel shape mountedin face to face relation, and means on the upper and lower walls of saidbase and gate forming longitudinally spaced guiding bearings for each ofsaid drill steels.

5. A drilling rig comprising a base frame, a vertical frame carried bysaid base frame, said vertical frame including a pair of parallel guidemembers extending upwardly from said base frame and united at theirupper ends by a cross member, a. brace frame formed by a diagonallybraced substantially L-shaped member rigidly connected to said baseframe and cross member, a substantially H-shaped drill carrying frameincluding side members slidable on said guide members and rigidly unitedby a cross member, a plurality of rock drills carried by said last crossmember for up and down movement with said drill carrying frame relativeto said vertical frame, and a single fluid actuated feeding mechanisminterposed between and secured to said cross members at substantiallyequal distance from said parallel guide members for effecting the up anddown movement of said drill carrying frame.

6. A drilling rig comprising a base frame formed of two side membersunited by two cross members, a pair of parallel arms extending laterallyand outwardly from one of said side members, a vertical frame includinga pair of parallel guide members extending upwardly from the free endsof said arms and united at their upper ends by a cross member, a bracefor said vertical frame extending from said cross member to the otherside member of said base frame, a drill carrying frameinciuding twosleeve-like elements slidable on said guide members and rigidly unitedvby a cross member, a plurality of rock drills carried. by said last.cross member for up and down move ment with said drill carrying framerelative to said vertical frame, and av single fluid actuated feedingmechanism including cylinder and piston elements interposed between andsecured to said cross members at substantially equal distances from saidparallel guide members for effecting the up and down movement of said:drill carrying frame.

7. Adrilling rig comprising a base frame formed of two side membersunited by two cross members, a pair of parallel armsv extendinglaterally and outwardly from one of said side members, a verticalframe-including a pair of parallel guide members extending upwardly fromthe free ends of said arms and united at their upper ends by a crossmember, and at the lower ends below said arms. by a base member, a bracefor said vertical frame extending from said cross member to the otherside member of said base frame, a drill carrying frame including twosleeve-like elements slidable on said guide members and rigidly unitedby a cross member, a plurality of rock, drills carried. by said lastcross member for up and down movement with said carrying frame relativeto said vertical frame, a single fluid actuatedfeeding mechanismincluding cylinder and piston elements interposed between and secured tosaid cross members at substantially equal distances from said parallelguide members for effecting the up and down movement of said drillcarrying frame, a drill steel carried by eachof said rock drills, and a.drill steel centralizer including said base member, a centralizer gateremovably carried by said base member, said base member and gate beingof channel bars mounted in face to face relation, and means on the upperand lower walls of said base member and gate forming longitudinallyspaced guiding bearings for each of said drill steels.

bers, a vertical frame including a pair of parallel guide membersextending upwardly from the free ends of said, arms and united at theirupper ends by a cross member; clamping means between the free ends ofsaid arms and said guide members, bracing means for said vertical frameincluding adiagonally braced substantially L-shaped member rigidlyconnected to said cross member and the other side member of said baseframe, a substantially H -shaped drill carrying frame including sidemembers slidable on said guide members and rigidly united by acrossmember, a plurality of fluid" actuated rock drills carried by said lastcross member for up and down movement with said drill carrying framerelative to said vertical frame, a motive fluid reservoir carried bysaid base: frame, amotive fluid conveying conduit between each rockdrill and said reservoir, and a single fluid actuated feeding mechanismincluding cylinder and piston elements interposed between and secured tosaid crossmembers at substantially equal distances from said parallelguide members for effecting the up and down movement of said drillcarrying frame;

- SAMUEL D. GUNNING.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS NumberName Date 80,387: Burleigh- July 28-, 1868 337,968 Manning Mar. 16, 1886513,088' Crane Jan. 23, 1894 545,675 Byrne Sept. 3, 1895 1,265,494Packard May 7, 1918 1,482,396 Hansen Feb. 5, 1924 1,503,895 Hansen Aug.5, 1924 1,755,255 Grifiith Apr. 22, 1930 1,945,322 Lafayette, Jr Jan.30, 1934 2,001,576 Johnson May 14, 1935 2,179,316 Anderson -1 Nov. 7,1939 2,192,192 Johansen Mar. 5, 1940 2,308,517 Konnerth Jan. 19, 1943FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 9,879 Great Britain 1908

